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A review by misfitmoxie
April in Paris by Michael Wallner
2.0
This started out as a really interesting read. I liked the way the author, a German man, is direct and to the point. He writes it in the present tense, so everything is very immediate. It's a good approach for his style. And I really liked the story very much until about 150 pages in... then the story took a turn that was very torpid in its plot. Not to say there wasn't action, it was just all so predictable and obvious, and therefore quite dull.
The one interesting thing that took place in those final pages was when he lost hope, in that moment he realized that he had merely been play-acting in his double life, while everyone else had been engaged in a struggle. And he realized that he was a coward for not taking a stand instead of fleeing reality. That was a really poignant moment. THAT would have been a good ending, a fitting and interesting finish. Instead, we get this trite, utterly absurd and completely calculable conclusion.
I wanted so much to say I really enjoyed this... and until that point partway through, indeed, I did. But after all, it's about a book as a whole, and I cannot recommend this.
*******
I wanted to add after glancing at a few other reviews that I agree that it is highly annoying when there are entire conversations and passages in another language without it being explained. Further, I agree that the character development was lacking, though to the degree that it lent to the immediacy of the writing, I didn't mind.
The one interesting thing that took place in those final pages was when he lost hope, in that moment he realized that he had merely been play-acting in his double life, while everyone else had been engaged in a struggle. And he realized that he was a coward for not taking a stand instead of fleeing reality. That was a really poignant moment. THAT would have been a good ending, a fitting and interesting finish. Instead, we get this trite, utterly absurd and completely calculable conclusion.
I wanted so much to say I really enjoyed this... and until that point partway through, indeed, I did. But after all, it's about a book as a whole, and I cannot recommend this.
*******
I wanted to add after glancing at a few other reviews that I agree that it is highly annoying when there are entire conversations and passages in another language without it being explained. Further, I agree that the character development was lacking, though to the degree that it lent to the immediacy of the writing, I didn't mind.